Thanks to Derek of Tomahawk Chopping for this AWESOME Smoltzie relic. My Smoltz collection is way behind my Glavine and Maddux collections. I’ll have to put some time into it next year. It shouldn’t be difficult since I don’t see myself buying much new Topps at all next year.

I’ve probably added more Smoltz cards to my collection from Thorzul’s group breaks than through any other method. This is a dull card, but you know what, I want every Smoltz card I don’t already have, and I don’t already have this one. Thanks Thorzul!

I won this awesome relic in Thorzul’s incredible Mondo Summer Break. Instead of opening stuff, he has this knack for occasionally finding an auction with tons of cool stuff. This was his best break yet. There wasn’t a single bum card in the break.

Well, here’s my latest pickup and I can’t really say that it’s one of my favorite cards of my favorite three players. In fact, I’d say it just looks off. There’s just something weird looking in the faces of all the players. I’d go as far to say it’s off-putting. That’s not really a surprise because Triple Threads sort of Triple Sucks.

On the other hand, it’s a card of my three favorite players. I like the Maddux patch and the Glavine bat. It has a nice home in my collection, even if I won’t be pulling it out to show off.

This card is going to sit in my Smoltz binder. It may never be touched by human hands again. Why have I left the protective film on the card?

I love that they’ve highlighted Smoltz’s 10-1 record down the stretch in 1991. He was truly amazing during the pennant race. In one of those stories that people seem to forget, Smoltz needed the help of a shrink to get over an awful first half and dominate the second. The shrink even had a seat behind home plate on days when Smoltzie would pitch. I’m not poking fun. It worked. What do you think, does the shrink get the credit he deserves for the role he played in Smoltz’s career? (Yes, I am too damn lazy to look up the shrink’s name.)

A great photograph of Smoltz from a rather pointless set. First Edition was even less useful than Opening Day. There are a lot of things I miss about Upper Deck producing baseball cards, First Edition is not among them. (Thanks to Adam at Thoughts and Sox for the card.)

And here’s the post where I commit card collecting blasphemy. (First, thanks to Derek for the card!) Allow me to acknowledge that 1989 Upper Deck is every bit the game changing set that it is hyped as being. No doubt.

I just find it overrated. The photography is awesome of course and the card stock was excellent. The hologram was probably a necessary addition to the back. So why do I find the set overrated? Easy. I cannot stand the base line up the side of the card.

I won’t even go into the reasons why this set was the beginning of the end for me as a collector. Well, at least until I discovered 2005 Topps Total and jumped back into hobby.